Monday

How my Kitchen is Holding Up

I think I'm in due time to write this post. My kitchen reveal was done a year ago, but the renovation took place in 2011, which means I've been using the "new" kitchen for a year and a half.

So, this is the post where I'm going to answer those questions that I'm being asked most frequently, like these, that I found at my e-mail or in the comments:

Are you happy with your painted cabinets? Jill

Do the paint stay on and not chip off? Are they too hard to maintain? Amscon

How the paint job on the cabinets has held up with daily use? Rochelle

Everyday morning my kids and the hubby prepare their breakfast, and I prepare dinner for the whole family most days of the week, lets say our kitchen gets a normal use.

Since the most frequently asked question is about the paint, why not talk about that first.

This is the normal pic you get to see, right? From a distance. But you can't see the paint job up close.

Well, let's get closer. Like, one big step away from this upper cabinet. It still looks fine from here.

Let me open the right door to take a better look at it with the help of the outside light. One step away from the door, it looks alright. Zooming in you can see the grain. That's the answer to another frequently asked question. Does the grain on the painted oak cabinets shows a lot? Does it bother you?

It does show. I have really good eye-sight and even from a not too short of a distance I can see the grain, but it doesn't bother me.

Now onto the paint itself. I painted the cabinets using brushes and little rollers and I was also very afraid of ending up with a pretty lousy job. My worst fear was to end up with chipped paint inside the cabinets because it had happened to me before. Long time ago I painted a cabinet but when the items that were stored inside came off with pieces of paint on them, it was very disappointing!

This time and after one year and a half of using them, I'm happy not to have that problem!

Now onto the outside of the cabinets. Again, the same upper cabinet, that's where the glasses are stored, my kids use this one a lot. As I said, from a big step away it looks OK. the closer I get the more I can see little marks around the knobs. Some small chip offs.

The same thing happens to this base cabinet. That's the one we use the most. The trash can is stored on the right and it clearly shows the wear.

I blame my daughter for this problem, her finger nails are not too long, not too short, but they are the sharpest finger nails I've ever seen!

The rest of the cabinets are doing OK. They need to be cleaned more often, just because white shows more, not because the wood color cabinets I had before didn't get dirty. Overall it is not a big task.

The dark color on the island also lets dust and dirt be easily seen. Paint has chipped off a bit on the drawer holding the silver ware, and the kids have made some marks on the front part of the island while spinning on the chairs, but in general it is OK.

The CB2 pendant light is one of those fixtures that gets so much attention and as so many of you, I like it too. My big complain on that one is that, Oh Boy! It gets dusty so quickly! If I want to see those globes crystal clear all the time I need to clean them up every month! The last time I cleaned them was before the Holidays, mid-December... Is less than two months and you can see how foggy they look.

In general, I'm pretty satisfied with the work done. If for some reason I have to deal with another builders grade oak kitchen, I would not hesitate to paint it again. It is a tedious but rewarding job.

Being able to go from this:

To this:

I'm already thinking about painting the cabinets a new color, well not just yet. Right now I have to go and clean those globes!

74 comments
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Such a beautiful kitchen, Cristina. I have a question about your range hood. Is there just a fan under there or an entire hood component being hidden by the shell you created? We are looking into what we can do with ours right now. Thanks so much for sharing. :)

It still looks amazing Cristina! Even a factory finish paint job will chip and wear in heavily used areas. The last time I painted my cabinets I used oil based melamine paint, but it has seriously yellowed over time. This time I am using Cabinet Coat, carried by Benjamin Moore. So far so good and it won't yellow over time since it's acrylic based :)

Oh Cristina, your kitchen is just beautiful. I went back and read about your range hood. I can't believe you did that yourself. Well, actually, I can, but you still amaze me. I'm going to have to check out the other posts too, because that was before I started following you. So glad you brought them up again! Have a great week.

Since I just started following your blog, I've never had a chance to see your kitchen. Beautiful! You did a wonderful job and thank you for your honesty on how the paint has held up. You really made a great transformation, I love it!

Our trash can door is the door that wears first, too that is why I had to paint mine. I hope it lasts long, but if not I will paint that door again. I have the same problem with the clear glass globes in our master bath. I think I am going to change them to white ones. Tired of them looking cloudy and too hard to clean. Your kitchen looks great.

It has held up so well! Proof that you took your time and did a great job. I think the paint that is coming off the cabinet doors by the handles gives it a bit of a worn look and I like it! I am so impressed with the transformation every time I see the before and after photos. It's so hard to believe it is the same kitchen!

Your kitchen is just as beautiful as the first day! Really great paint job! I've painted my kitchen cabinets too some 5 years ago (they were brown, just like yours) and the paint hasn't chipped at all, except a tiny spot on the most used kitchen drawer - so I can totally relate :)

Your kitchen transformation always amazes me and makes me walk into my kitchen with builder grade oak and sigh! Their time is coming! I am absolutely in love with the marble backsplash...timeless and elegant.

I really appreciate this follow up post on wear and tear. It's the first one I've ever seen for painted kitchen cabinets and encourages me even more! See me shaking my fist at my cabinets? "You are on my project list, cabinets!" lol

Gorgeous! I just painted our cabinets this past summer and had trouble with the Rustoleum kit but finally figured out a solution. I love the bulk you added to the tops of the cabinets, I'm trying to convince my hubby we need to do it. I'll just show him your beautiful kitchen and he'll be sold!

Your kitchen is so inspirational! My cabinets are all dark, like your island, but I really want to repaint the uppers a soft white and the lowers a blue/gray. Just adding that to my very very long to do list!

My experience with painted cabinets is very much the same.. short of ramming into it with something really sharp, the paint is holding up great. In fact, I didn't poly the cabs in my kitchen and they look as good, if not better, than the ones in my laundry room that I did seal with poly.

I also light the light color.. I can wipe off anything that smudges and know it is clean.. when they were golden oak they always felt grungy!

Cristina, What a wonderful post! I feel so often bloggers just put pretty pictures out there in efforts to drive traffic, but sometimes sweep a little dirt under the rug in doing so.

I love your honestly with this post and really giving people who are considering painting their cabinets a true assessment for what they're in for. (which your kitchen still looks magnificent so congratulations) Thank you for the up close views of wear and tear to expect over time. Like I said, your kitchen looks just beautiful so I am sure you have calmed a lot of fears.

I love that you revisited your kitchen reno! I never saw the original post. I am definitely going to check it out now! Your kitchen has held up amazingly well! Love the contrast of the white and dark brown cabinets!

Although we love wood cabinets, and mine are... it went from an ugly white to the one we have now..we are very happy. What I wanted to say is that your white kitchen is gorgeous, you did a fabulous job! You've kept it perfectly!! Have a great week.FABBY

Thanks for the fab information! I have his very same builder grade kitchen and you have given me hope and so much inspiration...I can't decide where to begin! I definitely will incorporate your custom molding on the island, it looks so high end, You are a gem.

I think your cabinets look great, and your kitchen is lovely! The day after we painted our cabinets, my son went around with a butter knife playing 'truck' and carved a horrible line all along them. That was 6 years ago. Painting cabinets is such a pain I've just lived with that horrible look! LOL

Found you via My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, and I'd love if you'd come join my How To Tuesday link party, too.http://housewifehowtos.com/link-party-2/how-to-tuesday-link-party-7/

Wow - this is a great post ! It's so good to hear the 'real truth' about a renovation ! The good, the bad, and the....well , nothing here is ugly ! Your kitchen is beautiful, and you did a wonderful job....I have the same situation in my kitchen. Originally, oak cabinets that I painted - I do like to see the grain in the wood through the paint, and my cabinets are also chipped in the areas that are most used, but it doesn't bother me - I kind of like the look !

I have owned several houses and my white kitchens have always looked the best. I would use the kitchen & bath high-gloss paint that is scrubbable and then focus on the hardware. The cabinets always got ohs and ahs, were easy to clean and held up nicely. I have builder grade cabinets now, oak, and I painted them again, but went with a deeper green, which is a risk, but I've loved it. Still, I miss the white. I can say that your kitchen stands out because your attention to detail is incredible. All those details do matter and it looks impressive!

I painted my cabinets white a little over a year ago and I agree that the bottom cabinets get the most abuse. My island is the worst!I'm even considering painting the bottoms a darker color next time. But, the paint has held up well overall and I have to agree that I wouldn't hesitate to paint them again. They aren't nearly as chipped as my stained cabinets I painted over!

Cristina, your kitchen looks as gorgeous as always! The little scratches just means that you guys live there. It is the same in our home. Even looking at the before and after pictures, I can NOT believe the transformation! You did such a fabulous job with the design of your kitchen. I want to thank you for liking my FB page. I am still receiving your comments on the blog as non reply and I just want you to know how much I do appreciate you always taking the time to do so. I can't email you back and I don't want you to think I am ignoring you. By the way, I am very inspired about your island. I think I am going to paint mine in a light cream color and maybe add molding to it. Am I brave enough to do this? LOL

Hey everybody, Thank you very much for all your kind words! Mindi, no, I didn't make that cute blue crate, it was a $10 find at T.J.Maxx.Lisa, Those drapes were custom made while one of my trips to Colombia S.A.

Every time I see your kitchen I love it more. I was actually just thinking that I needed to write a post about how my painted cabinets are doing...always interested to see how other people's paint projects are holding up.

What a big difference... you made those "builders grade" cabinets looks soo custom and high-end. good call on the range hood and making the cabinets look taller. Also the moldings are genious and the Islland micorwave, bookself, color and quarts look amazing. GREAT JOB!

Love your transformation! I want to paint my oak cabinets white as well. What kind/color paint did you use? I am thinking of using chalk paint because it is easy to fix any chips.Thanks for the info!Susan

Awesome post-i think you were reading my mind. i have 47 yes 47! ugly builders grade oak cabinets and drawers in my open concept kitchen. I want to paint them bad....like really bad. I did a post last week on inspiration kitchens and have traded lots of messages with other bloggers who have tackeled this daunting task. I really appreciate your honesty on how things are holding up and it is so reassuring that even though it is a big job you would do it again. I pinned this and am planning to dive in head first in may when my husband takes my kids out of town for a long weekend. I am thinking it will be loads easier without a 4 and 5 year old trying to "help."

I LOVE your honesty about your kitchen cabinets! And you are right, the transformation makes it totally worth the little flaws you may see. Nobody else even notices those tiny details! Your kitchen looks beautiful and modern! I came over from the DIY showoff party.... Just started my blog and posted my first ever link there.

Your kitchen transformation is amazing. I love that you did an honest update on the project. So many times you see these awesome projects, but it's great to know that it is worth all the effort. Now if you could just come paint my cabinets for me . . .

Your kitchen is fantastic! I love everything about it. You can always touch-up those little spots but I think it gives it character with a little worn look. I too, wouldn't mind the grain showing through (shows it's real wood) Wow! The money you saved by not buying new cabinets. Your kitchen looks like a magazine!

I am so happy that I stumbled across your blog! I was researching what to do with the terrible space avocet my kitchen cabinets and bam! Found my answer here! Annnnd we have the terrible oak cabinets.... Your blog is my answer! And the easiest way to explain to hubs what I want to do (he loves the idea!). Thank you for your awesome pictures and well-articulated instructions. I think I'll be starting this project next weekend :)

My kitchen needs an update 8 years after remodelling. The maple cabinets and stainless steel appliances and granite will stay. I will just repaint the walls which are similar in color to your old kitchen walls. I hope this will be sufficient. You did a marvellous job on your makeover.

I do these alot when I rehab dated condo projects to flip. I have found the best way to do cabinets is renting a paint sprayer and applying 2 coats of very high quality oil paint. I am partial to Benjamin Moore because it goes on like butter and provides complete coverage with the first coat, leaving the 2nd coat as a durable cover to the paint job. I have visited condos 2 years later and they still look brand new. It makes such a huge impact for such few dollars spent.

That is an amazing transformation! Its difficult for me that it is the same kitchen! superb work done by you really an unbelievable renovation in the kitchen..It inspire others also that they can do similar thing with their kitchen...Thanks

Hi Cindi, I've received the same question a few times, and this is what I've answered, thinking about function and noise: I've been very happy with my Broan PM-390. It has three settings, the lower, number 1, is the one I use the most and I can perfectly have conversations right in front of the stove while using it. Number 2, the noise is louder but still bearable. I've hardly used the number 3 setting, is hard to keep a conversation right there in front of your stove, without the fan being a nuisance. Now, if you need to use that setting, I think you're so busy taking care of what you're cooking that you don't want to have a conversation :) That said, I'm a regular cook, I don't cook fancy stuff that requires venting in those high settings, and that's why for the price of that fan it was a good deal for me.I hope this helps with your decision ;)

Hi Laura, It took me a whole year to complete the entire kitchen makeover. At that time I was rookie dealing with renovations, overthinking every decision was, perhaps, the reason for taking such a long time! :/ I spent about two weeks painting the cabinets (inside and out), not counting prep work or the waiting time for they to dry well.Thanks for stopping by and for your kind comment!